Saturday, January 30, 2010

Sewing and Surgery - By Caresse

These Pictures are of a skirt me and Mom made on Thursday. Mom bought some squares of clothe for me to practice my seams on and I asked her if we could make a play skirt out of them. We started working on it and it came out so cute. At first we were just making it with out the little apron on the front, or the blue ruffles on the bottom. Then mom had the idea to do the ruffle and apron so now its not a play skirt, it looks really good, and for someone who doesn't like sewing, Mom did a really good job. then the pictures of the girls are things I made for them after Mom taught me how to make them, a skirt for Alia and a dress for Joeliana. I think they all look really nice for dress's and skirts made with out a pattern. We also know when my surgery will be, on March 3rd at 8:00, so I have about 4 weeks until then. Hopefully it will only take about two months for my leg to heal. Also they are doing another knot on the same leg that is just above my ankle the nerves that go to my toes run right over the knot, so the are going to take that out at the same time.




Thursday, January 28, 2010

Look What we are Grateful For!!!

Remember when our van was totaled right before Christmas?

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Well, we just received our new van. And we are so glad to have it! Thank you LORD for providing...
And THANK YOU Mom and Dad for your help!

You Must Visit....

One of the ladies that I stayed in the guest house with in Ethiopia made such precious knit hats and sweaters for her new son and I thought they were so cute and would be really warm for our Colorado weather, so I came home and searched for baby boy hats for Keshawn. Girls hats are easy to find, but things for boys are harder. I found Shannon's etsy store, Baruch's Lullaby, and fell in love with her cute hats for boys.
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She was so helpful when I wrote to her asking for this hat in Keshawns size and I loved it so much that I went right back and got this one too...bluehat

Shannon makes beautiful hand knit baby hats, booties, mittens, scarves and more! I liked that these hats where not only beautiful, but they are made really warm and soft. And she's a really cutie!!! Her heart for others is very real...
ALL SALES OF BOOTIES ARE DONATED TO SAMARITAN'S PURSE FOR HAITI RELIEF! www.samaritanspurse.org
$118 raised so far!
So go visit Shannon, and buy for you or a friend! You will not be disappointed that you did!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

O.K., I'm Not the Brightest Bulb...

in the house. (Just teasing...);

I have spent all day trying to understand Photoshop Elements, actions and textures...(well, we did do some homeschool, and laundry, and I did feed the children THREE times today; and change diapers and feed a baby...ect.).
I am dyslexic, so this is so much harder than I could ever explain. Kalyn is also dyslexic (as is my dad and several other family members).
Soooo, I have no idea what I did to this photo, but I decided all of this "clueless" learning and effort today deserved a shot in "blog-world"...I hope that I remember what I "didn't learn" today so that I can do it again!

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And, my children are enjoying all my hard work...they laughingly commented on the "photo-graphic illusion (not)" that I look like I have a bird coming out of my head...and "geez, mom, don't you know how to "edit that?"
"No sweet, adorable, darling children who are laughing at me, I have no idea how to get rid of the "bird" on my head...may be next week..."

Follow Up to I'm Mad...

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The truth about fear...
Psalm 25:12 "Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him will He instruct in the way that he should choose."
If we have fear in our hearts ABOUT anything but fear of the LORD, He will not instruct us in the way that we should choose...we will become confused and accept a lie for the truth.
This is good news, but it is also a warning...we must fear Him and only Him, walking in relationship with Him and only Him; to receive God's guidance. When we come to Him in prayer for guidance, we must be careful where our hearts are.
We are promised in Psalm 25:8 "Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way. All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep His covenant and His testimonies."
Jesus trusted the LORD, and He had a cross to die on. He didn't walk away from that because of the "horrors" of the cross...He believed the truth of the WORD and the truth that the PATHS OF THE LORD ARE STEADFAST LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS.
"Father God, we don't want to be afraid to trust you, yet sometimes we are, please forgive us, and help us...we will fear you only and ask You to instruct us in Your way, guide us in Your path for our lives. And for the things that scare us; for the horrors that we may be afraid of; for the cross that may yet be....in spite of those things...we believe that Your paths are paths of steadfast love and faithfulness, what ever we may face. Amen."

Monday, January 25, 2010

I'm Mad...

If a family wants to adopt...they really do need to count the cost and be honest....
are we adopting for us or are we adopting to give a child a family.
Some are afraid to adopt because they have heard horror stories of what can go wrong...
Believe me, we know...we have several horror stories...and all these years later the question is still the same...do we trust the LORD to bring us through whatever situation for His glory and His will. Will we trust Him when He says to "go" or "do";
or will we pray and blame it on the LORD saying;
"We don't feel this is God's will for us." Are we sure God is saying no or are we just afraid to trust Him with what may come.
I know, that I am being really raw right now...but I am so upset and so tired of hearing the many times that satan uses fear to keep families from giving a child a home.
I'm not mad at the families...I'm mad at satan's lies...fear is one of his oldest tricks....
Please, what does the LORD say in the Bible..it really is simple...
Love the Lord our God 1st, and love our neighbor as our self...
if you were a poor baby, no family, no home, no daddy, no mommy,
wouldn't you pray that someone would walk past their fears of money, disease, disability, time, and possible problems to bring you home?
Wouldn't you pray that someone would take a chance on you?
Please, let's walk past our fears together, when all is great we celebrate together, when things go wrong, we comfort each other...mourn together, love together...
tonight, I am mad, because someone is afraid to bring a child home....

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Funner Than A Hospital

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This is so much funner than being in the hospital!

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We have a great book that the children love called 101 Great Science Experiments. Steve and the children had fun with an experiment call See Colors in Bubbles.

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This was a colorful and cool experiment and the best part was getting to do "school" with daddy!

Praise the LORD!!

Corbin was stabilized and we got to come home sometime after mid night!!!! PRAISE THE LORD. Thank you all for your prayers. He was just on the "line" of oxygen levels, but the dr. said take him home where he can rest and this morning he is doing better! We have his breathing neb. here and I will keep him hydrated with good herbal teas.
"Thank you LORD for the prayers of family and friends and for touching Corbin's body!
I am still in my PJ's, drinkin' coffee, listening to all my little ones and SO thankful!

Also....

we have a van that will be here sometime next week. Yea. We keep missing church as a family because we can only take 10 of us in our two small cars. Probably best anyway to keep Corbin, Keshawn and the other little ones home to rest.
Hmmmm, something chocolaty is callin' me....must go lookin'!

Friday, January 22, 2010

He can't breath...

everything we have done hasn't stopped it...so we are on the way to the emergency room...we are leaving at least 3 children crying...but we have to go...
more later

We're Doing Everything We Can....

I was wanting to blog about a great slow cooker recipe, especially because Amy is asking for some...
I wanted to blog about the most adorable knit hats that I got for Keshawn from a darling new friend in Alaska - Shannon...(I am still going to blog about these, I will just have to wait...but you must visit Shannon...I'm in love with her precious heart for children).
but, for now,
we are doing all we can to stay out of the emergency room.

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Every 20 minutes Corbin is doing his emergency breathing treatment; I gave him a long, hot bath with Eucalyptus and rubbed him down in good healthy oils; I am giving him tinctures specific for Asthma every 20 minutes; a special herbal tea for congestion and breathing problems; nasal rinses and tons of PRAYER!
I don't want my baby back in the hospital....
but I am also being selfish...I REALLY wanted to be home tomorrow and relax and read and sleep and spend time with my family! I have spent two days cleaning the house and preparing for us to rest tomorrow together.
Still, I am thankful that we live here where we can get the medical help Corbin needs and thankful for all his brothers and sister, family and friends who are praying for Corbin!
So onward we go with the LORD and I'm thankful to be doing it with my best friend and only husband! What a man...I pulled out steak for a "special" meal tonight. Steve was going to grill them...but the propane has a leak...so he can't grill.
Not stopped, Steve looked up succulent pan fried steak on the computer and is now making us some great steak.

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Help Again,

Family and sweet friends, please pray again...Corbin's asthma is doing badly and we are needing a turn around or we will be in the hospital with him soon.
I feel so helpless!!! Yuch!!
Keshawn is also not feeling good and has a low fever and Steve is sick again.
Our company left yesterday morning and I had hopes of a restful weekend...
sorry, I'm fussing.
love you all!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Apparently,

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his bo-bo was worse than I first thought it was (not!) So, Aiden took matters into his own hands.
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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Melancholy Wednesday

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I feel so sad for the people of Haiti-especially the children, elderly, and handicap.

My beloved uncle has been very sick the last week. I wish I were there to be with him.

I guess I chose this picture that I took while at the Texas coast because that beautiful place is such a restful place to my soul. I wish I had of taken more pictures while I was there...

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Such a Life

Steve and I just celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary. It is so hard for me to believe!

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This is a picture from our wonderful time at the Texas coast this past December. Through thick and thin, good and bad, sickness and health I can say we have lived! I am so grateful to the LORD for Steve and for such a life as this to live with him!

Monday, January 18, 2010

From Kalyn

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to let ya'll know that I have now started my own blog - Thoughts from a Daughter's Heart. I have started it because it will give me a chance to interact with people over the blog more. I am really excited about it and just wanted to share it with ya'll!

Thank you all for all the lovely comments that you have left for me on Nations Around Our Table.

God bless each and every one of you,
Kalyn

Raspberry Shorbread Cookies


These cookies are easy and so yummy. They really make me happy! So here is the recipe and Kelly, sorry it took me so long to get this out!

1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 cups flour
1/3 to 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tsp. water
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Preheat oven to 350.
In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in extract; gradually add flour until dough forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour - (I never do this part...it seems to dry out here in Colorado). Roll into 1 inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle,make indentions in centers. Fill with jam. Bake for 14 - 18 min. Cool. Drizzle with glaze.
I usually double the glaze!

Reminder to Me

Stop hurrying, slow down....
ENJOY SERVING THE LORD and my family today....
Do my work with a happy heart (like I tell the children...)...
Embrace motherhood with all my heart...
Realize that motherhood is a serving role...
Look for and breath in beauty today....

"Today I feel overwhelmed with the work and "what nots";
Thank you, LORD, for Your joy which fills my heart. Please fill our home today with Your joy and your peace.
Thank you, LORD, for Your patience, love and kindness...please fill me with these that I may give these gifts to those around me. Help me to mother these little hearts with wisdom. I can't do it with out You...but thank you that You will strengthen me for todays adventure!"

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Our Eyes Met

I suddenly felt these eyes on me...so I began to look around to see who might be watching....
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Our eyes met from across the room and it was love all over again.

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And it has been that way since the very first time we laid eyes on each other.

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Pure adoration...like I'm the only one he has eyes for. Oh to be so loved.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

It was so surreal!!!

It was soooo quiet this morning that I thought it was still early morning. I knew that Steve had left for work, but I thought I would just rest a little more before I got up.
The quietness was almost uncanny, but I was enjoying it so much, that I slept on.

Caresse dared to enter my room and my quiet early morning rest to ask me a question...I know, WHAT WAS she thinking.

I think she was thinking that it was 10:00 a.m. and that I should be awake finally!
So why was it so quiet? Where were THIRTEEN children?

Oh blessings of blessings to a tired, sick mama...Colorado gave us a beautiful, warm morning and they were outside! Kalyn and Aspen had been watching after Keshawn, Jacob was doing his school. I came down stairs and it got even better. Kalyn was doing some house work and told me that now that I was up she was going to vacuum upstairs and clean one of the bathrooms.

So, just WHAT were the children doing outside?

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Building a safe fire...
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outside their tepees...
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and shooting their arrows from their homemade bows.
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Oh, the joys of childhood!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

I'll be honest with you....

I am still sick ... and it has me down!
Our friends, Britt and Audrey, left Sunday with one of their daughters. The mom and dad are off for two weeks for some intense mission training. Their other three children will stay here with us till they return. I finally let myself rest in bed all day Monday and I thought that I might be doing better, when last night I had one of the worst coughing fits I have ever had. For almost and hour and a half I coughed and threw up. Steve was trying everything to help. Finally it settled down and I slept uneasily some time after 12:00 p.m.
This morning I felt like someone had beat me up!
I got up and we did school and then I lay down again this afternoon.
I really feel that this is just a bad cold and needs time to run its course, however, it has been a fighter for sure!
So, I know my blogging is boring and reflecting my lack of energy and motivation. I feel that I need to give our family and three guest what I can, do school and still be with my new baby!
Hey, guess what, with Christmas and surprise money from friends we were able to buy a new oven, since our is broke...thank you LORD. It should be available in about three weeks!
Still waiting to see what will come about for a van...
The weather was nice today, so the older ones enjoyed some out door play time this afternoon...boy, was the house quiet with the little ones napping and the older ones outside!
I have a craving for chocolate chip cookies...so I'm off to beg Kalyn!, even though it is supper, because when you're sick you can break the rules!

Monday, January 11, 2010

I HEART FACES-Best Face Photo



I Heart Faces is celebrating it's first birthday this week. I have loved the challenges and learning from other amazing and gift photographers and mothers.

This weeks challenge is a "Best Face Photo" that was taken in December of 09 or January of 10.

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How could I resist this sweet picture of our new baby enjoying his first time on the beach on the Texas Mustang Island? It was a little cold, however he was so interested in the sand that I finally took off his clothes so that he could sit and really enjoy. He would look up at me as if to ask "Is this O.K.?"



Happy Birthday I Heart Faces...thank you for such a fun and challenging year!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Still Here

I'm sorry that I'm not blogging much. It has been so busy...a good busy with our precious friends here. Our sweet friends are missionaries to Mexico and pastors in Texas. We have known them for 14 years.
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Above is the oldest daughter, Hannah with Kalyn and Aspen, the youngest daughter. Because these three have grown up together they are the best of friends.
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Kalyn and Aspen are especially close to each other. Today Kalyn went with their family to celebrate Aspen's 18th birthday.
Each year I have the joy of doing family pictures for this family. It is always fun because they are fun to work with and extremely "photogenic".

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Mother and Daughters

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Hannah's graduation picture
All these are pictures I took this last summer (when it was warm and NOT below 0 like it is right now...)

I was able to start back up our school schedule Thursday. It feels good to be back into our routine and the children seem to settle down better when we do. Still no van...still looking. The other insurance is giving Steve resistance to pay what they should...to bad, Steve has been in insurance claims for 23 years...they don't have a chance with him.
Well, I'm off to rest with the babies. I am still pretty sick with this cold.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Grateful/Thankful Thursday

My brother and sister (in-law) gave us this baby gift! I have been holding Keshawn in my lap to feed him and I am so grateful for to have a high chair now.
I love you Kim and Karla, Scott and Tiffany. Thank you for this gift!
kim, karla and scott and tiffany

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Cuteness and Randomness

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How fun it was to watch my littlest one explore the beach!
We have some precious friends staying with us right now for a few weeks. We have known them for almost 13 years. What a blessing their friendship and love is to us.
I am taking Corbin to the dr. today and busy shopping for things. I'm hoping that my days begin to settle into a calmer routine soon.
I am trying some new slow cooker recipes since we have company. This will be a good time for me to try ones that I had set aside. I have been wanting to do more slow cooking anyway because I find that so much easier right now with a new baby in the house.
Keshawn is have really bad constipation...so I am exploring what I can give him to eat to help. He isn't eating what I have tried so far.
Waiting to hear from Caresse's dr. to see when we can schedule her leg surgery. I hope I hear soon.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Home and so Thankful


What a day, or week, or month...tonight, I am tired and also thankful for all that the LORD has given to our family. We got home late last night after traveling for 3 days from the coast of Texas. We cleaned up our rented bus and returned it today. I am sick with a chest cold...the children are doing great. We had such a wonderful time with our families in Denver and in Texas and I will write more later about that.
Tonight, we are searching for a new van that will hold our family and not break our already stretched bank account. Our oven is broke and needs to be replaced...
However, tonight I am so thankful for the blessings of family, times together, home, children laughing and fighting...
I am thankful that Keshawn is home and healthy; for the joys and the tears that come with mothering...
and the next few weeks will be difficult as several things will come together to stretch me anew...please continue your prayer for our family and always...
THANK YOU AND I LOVE YOU ALL...
share more as soon as I can.
l0ves,
me
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